Let us work together and make Scotland a Fair Trade Nation!

        —Towera Jalakasi

Towera Jalakasi promotes Fair Trade businesses in Malawi. As Fair Trade Stirling's guest, she hosted talks to students in Bannockburn, Stirling and Wallace High Schools. She finished off a packed day with a lively discussion at Logie Kirk on taking the next steps on fair trade.

Stuart Fulton, Minister at Logie Kirk, said "It's through stories that people can really gain understanding" and Towera was full of stories. How basket weavers had built new life and new hope through fair trade, and how for some it came too late. Her message was one of hope and confidence. She told schoolchildren "Every time you buy a Geobar, or any other fair trade item, you are doing something to help."

Thanks to fifth formers at Wallace High School, who made a video of Towera’s talk, many more people had the chance to hear her during the Fair Trade wine tasting evening on Saturday. Jon Cape, Co-ordinator of Fair Trade Stirling, said, "thanks to generous sponsorship from the Coop and from the Royal Hotel, Bridge of Allan, this has been another great event, with sixty or so people hearing about fair trade first hand." The evening was opened by deputy convenor of Stirling Council, Councillor Jim Thompson, who will be meeting Fair Trade Stirling in coming weeks to discuss how to take fair trade further in Stirling.

Vendor Amy McNeese
with Muirneag goods
Councillor
Jim Thomson
Vendor Terry Jobe
Raffle Prizes
Sommelier
John Butterfield

At Fair Trade Stirling, we enjoy a good time—and our Fairtrade Wine Tasting event demonstrated that brilliantly. Aside from the pleasure of sampling fine wines, we were able to browse several vendors, had a raffle, and lots of laughs. John Butterfield, minister of Stirling's Methodist Church, offered fun along with his sommelier duties.

Vendors included:

  • Amy McNeese of Muirneag Art and Texture Imports, pictured above.
  • Terry Jobe (pictured above), whose family in Gambia makes the sculptures and jewelry he sells. (07862 269 631)
  • Elizabeth of Fayre Earth—wide variety of fairly traded goods. (Back Wynd, Falkland, Cupar, Fife KY15 7BX, Phone: 01337 857 272)
  • Sam Rogers of Ethics Girls, a fashion website and source of information about fair and ethical trading.
  • Gill Nunn of Traidcraft, who operates Fair Trade Stirling's stall.
  • Liz McConnell of Impulse—fairly traded bags and scarves from North Vietnam. (01786 833 600)

These pages documenting some of Fair Trade Stirling's events are arranged like a slide show, so you can scroll forward or back by clicking on the appropriate arrow, or:
Go to 2005     Go to 2006     Go to 2007